Astolphe-Louis-Leonor, Marquis de Custine (1790 – 1857) French aristocrat and writer

He is best known for his travel writing, in particular his account of his visit to Russia in 1839 Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia. This work documents not only Custine’s travels through the Russian empire, but also the social fabric, economy and way of life during the reign of Nicholas I.

Source: Wikipedia